Variable pitch form

ABSTRACT

A variable pitch form for the casting of concrete slabs which become modules of multiple story building structures, the form having an upwardly facing slab casting panel bordered longitudinally by channel shaped beam casting forms integrally connected to the slab casting panel by flexible fillet casting strips. Means are provided for raising and lowering one longitudinal margin of the slab casting panel and the corresponding beam casting form while maintaining the beam casting forms as well as leg casting forms at the corner of the slab in an essentially vertical position. Outboard end forms are provided to match various selected slab pitches or slopes. The beam forms carry pivotal ledge casting forms to provide longitudinal ledges for the support of adjacent modules.

United States Patent [191 Rice [ VARIABLE PITCII FORM [76] Inventor:Edward K. Rice, 2077 Linda Flora Drive, Los Angeles, Calif. 90024 22Filed: Nov. 24, '1971 [21] Appl. No.: 201,865

[52] US. Cl 249/26, 249/27, 249/50,

[51] Int. Cl... B28b 7/08 [58] Field of Search 249/13, 18, 26, 27

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,148,434 9/1964 Gageeta1..; 249/185 X 2,708,780 5/1955 Burkhalter.... 249/99 3,168,771 2/1965Nelson 249/50 3,204,316 9/1965 Jackson 249/13 2,823,440 2/1958 Schade249/18 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 674,658 1 11/1963 Canada.....249/27- [111 3,741,515- ['45] June 26,1973

1,196,007 6/1970 Great Britain 249/159 Primary Examiner-J. SpencerOverholser Assistant Examiner-Ben D. Tobor Att0rneyCharles G. Lyon etal.

- casting form while maintaining the beam casting forms as well as legcasting forms at the corner of the slab in an essentially verticalposition. Outboard end forms are provided to match various selected slabpitches or slopes. The beam forms carry pivotal ledge casting forms toprovide longitudinal ledges for the support of adjacent modules.

10 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures structures.

VARIABLE PITCH FORM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention isrelated to my copending applications listed below:

Ser. No. 837,986; Filed June 2, 1969; for PRECAST CONCRETE BUILDINGCONSTRUCTION. Ser. No. 930,97; Filed Nov. 27, 1970; for DEMOUNT- ABLEMULTIPLE LEVEL BUILDING STRUC- TURE.

The structures disclosed in these applications include pre-cast moduleshaving elongated concrete slabs bordered by longitudinal beams atopposite sides, and a pair of supporting legs at each of their ends. Amajor use of the building structure is for multiple story parking whichrequires sloping floors or ramps to permit vehicles to move from onelevel to the next. The floor arrangements vary substantially, dependingupon the area and other factors. In some cases, the major area is flatand connecting by sloping ramps. In other cases the major area may beinclined. Also the slope angle may vary for different structures andthus require different slope angles. Modules are cast at a manufacturingsite and shipped to the points of use, thus the forms must be such as tomeet the varying conditions of slope or pitch required for a variety ofmultiple story building SUMMARY or THE INVENTION The present inventionis directed to a variable pitch form and'is summarized in the followingobjects:

First to provide a formfor the casting of a concrete slab module whichincorporates novel means whereby the form may be preadjusted to castslabs having a range of transverse slopes including zero slope so thatmodules of different pitch may be cast by adjustment of the formincluding zero pitch, when needed, so that the form may be maintained ina continuous use.

Second to provide a variable pitch form, particularly suited for thecasting of elongated slabs having at least one longitudinal reinforcingbeam, the surface of the form at the juncture of the slab and beam beingflexible to permit change in the slope or pitch of the slab withoutchange in the orientation of the beam.

Third, to provide a variable pitch form as indicated in the precedingobjects-which incorporates a novel means for the casting of transversebeams at the ends of the slab by the use of interchangable cornerforming units and'interchangable distal end forms.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a typicalmodule cast by the variable pitch form.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view thereof taken through 2-2 of FIG. 1showing the model by solid lines as it appears when cast to form asloping surface and g by dotted lines as it appears when cast to form ahori- FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken through 5-5 of FIG. 4showing the form as adjusted for casting a module having a slopingsurface.

FIG. 6 is a view taken essentially through 66 of FIG. 4 partially insection and partially in elevation.

FIG. 7 is a similar partial sectional partial elevational view viewedessentially through 7-7 of FIG. 4 in the opposite direction from FIG. 6.

The variable pitch form is intended to cast a module A which includes anelongated slab B having longitudinal beams C along each side margin andend beams D joining the longitudinal beams at the ends of the slabs. Thecorners of the module are provided with legs E extending downward fromthe junctures of the longitudinal beams and end beams. The corners ofthe slab are provided with stacking pads F which are flattened areasdimensioned to support a second module placed on top of a precedingmodule. The longitudinal margins of the module are provided withrecessed ledges G.

As more fully described in the afforementioned copending applications,the modules may be set in side by side relation in which case therecessed ledges G are omitted or may be set in spaced relation toreceive intervening slabs which are either cast in place or precast, themargins of which are intended to be supported on the ledges G. Aspreviously indicated the modules are intended to stack to form amultiple story structure. If this structure is intended for multi-storyparking, ramps are required in order to drive from one level to another.These ramps may be confined to aisleways or may comprise the majorportions of this structure included'the parking areas. In either case,modules which present a horizontal surface and modules which present aninclined surface are required. In some constructions the slope or pitchis constant and other cases it is variable or at least the pitch fordifferent structures may vary. Even the modules which are considered aspresenting a horizontal surface may in fact have a slight slope fordrainage purposes.

As brought out more fully in the afforementioned copending applicationsthe legs of each module including the corners of the overlying beams andslabs are provided with vertically extending tendon guide ways. The slabis provided with transverse guide ways. The longitudinal beams areprovided with post-tensioned tendons. During assembly, the tendons arethreaded vertically through the legs and horizontally through the slabsand are eventually tensioned so as to hold the modules in fixedrelation. The tendon guideways and the post-tensioned tendons are notillustrated as they do not constitute a part of thepresent invention.

The variable pitch form includes an elongated slab casting panel 1having suitable underlying framework 2. Along one side margin there isprovided a fixed beam casting form 3 which includes an inboard panel 4sloping slightly from the vertical to provide draft which facilitatesremoval of the module. Each fixed beam casting form also includes anoutboard panel 5 which also slopes upwardly and is connected and itsbottom edge to the inboard panel 4 by a bottom panel 6.

The inboard and outboard panels 4 and 5 are supported respectively bysuitable inboard and outboard frame work 7 and 8. The bottom panel, infact the entire fixed beam casting form is supported by a series ofcross-beams 9 underlying the bottom panel 6.

At the opposite margin of the slab casting panel 1 is an adjustable beamcasting form 10 similar in most respects to the fixed beam casting form3, that is the form 10 includes an inboard panel 11 and an outboardpanel 12 which diverge upwardly and are connected by a bottom panel 13.The inboard panel and outboard panels are supported respectively byinboard and outboard frame work 14 and 15. Also the bottom panel 13 aswell as the other parts of the adjustable beam casting form 10 aresupported by cross beams 16.

The cross beams 9 and 16 are supported by a suitable sub-frame structure17. The cross beams 9 are fixed thereto whereas the cross beams 16 areprovided with vertically disposed jack bolts 18 threaded through nuts 19secured to the cross beams 16 or the longitudinal members which connectthe ends of the cross beams 16. The lower ends of the jack bolts 18 bearagainst the sub-frame structure 17 so that, when turned, the crossbeams16 and the corresponding side of the slab casting panel 1 as well as theadjustable beam casting form 10 may be raised and lowered. The lowerends of the jack bolts 18 are provided with reduced extensions andretainer nuts 21 which anchor the jack bolts to the subframe structure17. If desired, thrust bearings or thrust rings may be interposed underthe jack bolts to facilitate their rotation.

The slab casting panel 1 and the inboard panels 4 and 11 are joined bylongitudinally extending flexible fillet casting strips 22 which areintegral with the panels 1 and 4 and l and 11 so as to present acontinuous smooth casting surface.

Adjustment of the jack bolts 18 causes the beam casting form 10 to raiseor lower in a vertical direction. This movement causes the slab castingpanel 1 to tilt or change its slope. The angular relation between theslab casting panel 1 and inboard panels 4 and 11 change slightly andthis change is permitted by the flexible fillet casting strips 22. Thehorizontal distance between the beam casting forms 3 and 10 variesslightly as a slab casting panel 1 assumes a sloping position. Thismovement, due to the fact that the maximum desired angular position isonly a few degrees that is, (the order of 6) is not sufficient torequire compensating adjustment of the beam casting forms.

The framework 2 which underlies the slab casting panel 1 includesvertical braces 23 which may be adjusted according to the angularposition of the slabs casting panel 1. Also horizontal braces 24, mayextend between the inboard panels 4 and 11. The horizontal braces 24 arealso adjustable if desired, to accommodate changes in length.

Each outboard panel and 12 and its corresponding frame work 8 and 15support a ledge casting form 25. Each form is joined to thecorresponding frame work by hinges 26 which include vertical adjustablehinge leaves 27. Each ledge casting form 25 has an inboard lower corner28 which forms the bottom and vertical side of a corresponding recessedledge G. As it is desirable that the surfaces of the ledges G berespectively parallel to and vertical to the upper surface of the slab2, tapered spacer elements 29 are interposed between the undersides ofthe form 25 and the upper ends of the frame work 5 or 15. The ledgecasting forms 25 are held in place by bolts 30, however by loosening thebolts the casting forms 25 may be pivoted clear of the casting forms 3and as indicated by dotted lines at 6 the left side of FIG. 5.

The ends of the slab casting panel 1 are provided with depending inboardend panels 31 joined to bottom panels 32. The inboard end panels 31 areslightly less in width than the slab casting panel 1 so that theirlateral edges are spaced from the inboard panels 4 and 11 respectively.These spaces receive corner fillet forming units 33. A set of such unitsare provided for predetermined angular adjustments of the slabsupporting panel to compensate for the differences in angular relationof the lateral edges of the end panels 31 due to change in the slope ofthe slab casting panel.

Each inboard end panel 31 is confronted by an outboard end casting form34 which includes an outboard end panel 35 the lower margin of which issecured to the corresponding bottom panel 32. Each outboard end castingform 34 also includes corner forming extensions 36 which join to theoutboard panels 5 and 12 respectively. A set of outboard end castingforms 34 are provided, each defining a selected angle corresponding to apredetermined slope of the slab casting panel 1. The upper end of theend casting form 34 is provided with a flange 37 which serves as areference surface for the top surface of the concrete module. Also thelateral extremeties of the flange as indicated by 38 are flat, that isdefined horizontal planes irrespective of the slope therebetween. Theseflattened end portions aid in the forming of the stacking pads F of themodule.

The lower lateral extremeties of the outboard end 'casting forms 34 andthe corresponding ends of the fixed beam casting form 3 and theadjustable beam casting form 10 form essentially rectangular downwardlyfacing frames 39 which are capable of removable connection tocomplimentary leg casting forms 40 and 41. Each capable of casting twosides of a leg.

The jack bolts 18 and the adjustable beam casting form 10 are soarranged that the slab casting panel 1 may be adjusted for zero slope sothat the variable pitch fonn is not limited of the production of moduleshaving sloping slabs but may produce a module having a standard or flatslab. As a practical matter, it is usually necessary for drainagepurposes to slope the various levels of a parking garage including thebottom floor on which the modules are placed so that usually the slabsdepart slightly from a truly horizontal surface.

The comer fillet forming units 33, outboard end casting forms 34, frames39 and leg casting forms 40 and 41 as well as the ends of the beamcasting forms 3 and 10 are joined by bolts or other conventionalfastening means, not shown because of the necessarily small scale of thedrawings.

While a particular embodiment of this invention has been shown anddescribed, it is not intended to limit the same to the details of theconstruction set forth, but instead, the invention embraces suchchanges, modifications and equivalents of the various parts and theirrelationships as come within the purview of the appended claims.

I claim 1. A variable pitch form for casting an elongated concretebuilding module having a slab and at least one longitudinal beam, saidform comprising:

a. an elongated slab casting unit having means defining a castingsurface;

b. An elongated beam casting unit contiguous to said slab casting unitand having means defining a casting surface;

c. said surface defining means being portions of an integral continuoussheet of material v defining therebetween a flexible fillet castingstrip to permit relative angular displacement of said units whilemaintaining a continuous surface therebetween for the casting of aconcrete module there against; and

d. an adjustment means for effecting relative angular displacement ofthe casting units and fixing the casting units in selected angularrelation.

2. A variable pitch form as defined in claim 1,

wherein:

a. at least one leg casting unit extends downwardly from the beamcasting unit in fixed relation therewith.

3. A variable pitch form as defined in claim 1, which further comprises:

a. a pair of recessed ledge casting means movable between a castingposition to form a pair of depressed ledges in the concrete module alongthe opposite lateral sides of the module slab, and a position clearingthe module for removal of the module from the variable pitch form;

b. and interchangable spacer elements for varying the casting positionof the ledge casting means in accordance with the sloping position ofthe module slab.

4. A variable pitch form as defined in claim 1,

wherein:

a. one of said beam casting units is disposed along each of the oppositelongitudinal margins of the slab casting unit;

b. a said fillet casting strip is disposed between each side margin ofthe slab casting unit and the corresponding beam casting unit;

c. and the adjustment means is disposed under one of the beam castingunits to raise and lower the beam casting form and tilt the slab castingunit to various selected pitches.

5. A variable pitch form as defined in claim 4, which further comprises:

a. inboard end beam casting panels at the end extremeties of the slabcasting unit and angularly movable as the slab casting unit is tilted;

interchangable corner fillet casting elements adapted to be fittedbetween the lateral edges of the inboard end casting panels andconfronting ends of the beam casting units;

0. and interchangable outboard end beam casting units confronting theinboard end beam casting panels and adapted to be removably connected tothe ends of the beam casting units.

6. A variable pitch form as defined in claim 5,

wherein:

a. a leg casting unit extends downwardly from each extremety of the beamcasting unit and the confronting portions of the outboard end beamcasting units.

7. A variable pitch form for casting a concrete building module havingan elongated slab, and a pair of beams extending along each side marginthereof, said form comprising:

a. a slab casting unit having means defining a casting surface;

b. a beam casting unit along each side of the slab casting unit, eachbeing contiguous to said slab casting unit and having means defining acasting surface and each including an inboard casting panel and anoutboard casting panel defining an upwardly open channel;

c. said surface defining means being portions of an integral continuoussheet of material defining therebetween fillet casting strips the filletcasting strips being flexible to permit relative angular movement of theslab casting unit and the beam casting units while maintaining acontinuous casting surface therebetween;

(1. means for securing one of the beam casting units in a fixedposition; and

e. means for raising and lowering the other beam casting unit in anessentially vertical plane, causing flexure of the fillet casting stripsand disposition of the slab casting unit at various inclined angles.

8. A variable pitch form as defined in claim 7, which further comprises:

a. a recessed ledge casting unit for each outboard casting panel movablebetween a casting position partially overlying the corresponding openchannel, and an inoperative position clearing the channel.

9. A variable pitch form as defined in claim 7, which further comprises:

a. end beam casting units each including an inboard casting panelintegral with an end of the slab casting unit and depending therefrom; aset of interchangeable comer fillet casting elements joining the inboardcasting panels of the end beam casting units and the side beam castingunits; and a set of interchangable outboard casting panels confrontingthe end beam inboard casting panel and covering the ends of the channelsformed by the side beam casting units.

10. A variable pitch form as defined in claim 9, which furthercomprises:

a. downward extending leg casting units depending from the ends of theend beam casting units.

1. A variable pitch form for casting an elongated concrete buildingmodule having a slab and at least one longitudinal beam, said formcomprising: a. an elongated slab casting unit having means defining acasting surface; b. An elongated beam casting unit contiguous to saidslab casting unit and having means defining a casting surface; c. saidsurface defining means being portions of an integral continuous sheet ofmaterial defining therebetween a flexible fillet casting strip to permitrelative angular displacement of said units while maintaining acontinuous surface therebetween for the casting of a concrete modulethere against; and d. an adjustment means for effecting relative angulardisplacement of the casting units and fixing the casting units inselected angular relation.
 2. A variable pitch form as defined in claim1, wherein: a. at least one leg casting unit extends downwardly from thebeam casting unit in fixed relation therewith.
 3. A variable pitch formas defined in claim 1, which further comprises: a. a pair of recessedledge casting means movable between a casting position to form a pair ofdepressed ledges in the concrete module along the opposite lateral sidesof the module slab, and a position clearing the module for removal ofthe module from the variable pitch form; b. and interchangable spacerelements for varying the casting position of the ledge casting means inaccordance with the sloping position of the module slab.
 4. A variablepitch form as defined in claim 1, wherein: a. one of said beam castingunits is disposed along each of the opposite longitudinal margins of theslab casting unit; b. a said fillet casting strip is disposed betweeneach side margin of the slab casting unit and the corresponding beamcasting unit; c. and the adjustment means is disposed under one of thebeam casting units to raise and lower the beam casting form and tilt theslab casting unit to various selected pitches.
 5. A variable pitch formas defined in claim 4, which further comprises: a. inboard end beamcasting panels at the end extremeties of the slab casting unit andangularly movable as the slab casting unit is tilted; b. interchangablecorner fillet casting elements adapted to be fitted between the lateraledges of the inboard end casting panels and confronting ends of the beamcasting units; c. and interchangable outboard end beam casting unitsconfronting the inboard end beam casting panels and adapted to beremovably connected to the ends of the beam casting units.
 6. A variablepitch form as defined in claim 5, wherein: a. a leg casting unit extendsdownwardly from each extremety of the beam casting unit and theconfronting portions of the outboard end beam casting units.
 7. Avariable pitch form for casting a concrete building module having anelongated slab, and a pair of beams extending along each side marginthereof, said form comprising: a. a slab casting unit having meansdefining a casting surface; b. a beam casting unit along each side ofthe slab casting unit, each being contiguous to said slab casting unitand having means defining a casting surface and each including aninboard casting panel and an outboard casting panel defining an upwardlyopen channel; c. said surface defining means being portions of anintegral continuous sheet of material defining therebetween filletcasting strips the fillet casting strips being flexible to permitrelative angular movement of the slab casting unit and the beam castingunits while maintaining a continuous casting surface therebetween; d.means for securing one of the beam casting units in a fixed position;and e. means for raising and lowering the other beam casting unit in anessentially vertical plane, causing flexure of the fillet casting stripsand disposition of the slab casting unit at various inclined angles. 8.A variable pitch form as defined in claim 7, which further comprises: a.a recessed ledge casting unit for each outboard casting panel movablebetween a casting position partially overlying the corresponding openchannel, and an inoperative position clearing the channel.
 9. A variablepitch form as defined in claim 7, which further comprises: a. end beamcasting units each including an inboard casting panel integral with anend of the slab casting unit and depending therefrom; a set ofinterchangeable corner fillet casting elements joining the inboardcasting panels of the end beam casting units and the side beam castingunits; and a set of interchangable outboard casting panels confrontingthe end beam inboard casting panel and covering the ends of the channelsformed by the side beam casting units.
 10. A variable pitch form asdefined in claim 9, which further comprises: a. downward extending legcasting units depending from the ends of the end beam casting units.